A Chance at Humanity
by miss-mystic-fallsDE
Summary: Takes place when Elena finally wakes up 65 years in the future following the events of the season 6 finale. Damon finally has the chance at a human life with Elena. How will their relationship handle this new change? Please R&R with suggestions.
1. Chapter 1

Bonnie glanced up at a still youthful Damon Salvatore hovering anxiously at the side of her hospital bed. Her feeble wrinkled hand covered in tubes and bruised from repeated pokes with intravenous needles reached out towards him. She could barely breathe on her own anymore so Damon knew that even this small effort must be exhausting for her. The doctors all agreed that at 85 years old and after surviving three bouts of lung cancer, Bonnie Bennett was a fighter who had lived each of her days to the fullest.

"Damon come a little closer please", Bonnie croaked out in a horse, strained whisper.

Damon leaned in close to his oldest friend and quickly asked in his most concerned voice, "What is it Bon Bon do you need some more morphine? I can go get the nurse."

"No Damon, I can tell it won't be long now until this cancer finally gets the best of me. I want you to get out of here and go to Elena. I want you to be there for her when she wakes up" Bonnie croaked out slowly and deliberately.

Damon looked shocked and torn as he said, "Bonnie after all these years you can't really expect me to leave you to die alone can you?"

"Consider it my dying wish Salvatore. After everything you've done for me in my life I owe you this. Now hurry up and go before she wakes up. Please" Bonnie whispered with a weak half smile that nearly broke Damon's heart.

After all these years saving Bonnie from everything from car accidents to broken legs and even one time when she had strained her back gardening, Damon had grown extremely fond of the once irritating witch. He was torn between staying with Bonnie in her final moments and following her wishes to go to the love of his life whom he had been forced to be without for the last 65 years. He opened his mouth to protest, but the stern look in Bonnie's eyes stopped him dead in his tracks. He had seen that look before and knew that nothing he would be able to say would change her mind. Throughout the years, Bonnie's stubborn streak had never faded and Damon knew then that the best thing he could do was keep his mouth closed and do as he was being commanded. With one last sad smile at his best friend Damon began walking towards the door of the hospital room

Turning his head towards Bonnie for what he knew would be the last time, Damon finally spoke, "Thanks for all the memories Bonnie, I'll send Elena your best wishes. See you on the Other Side." With that he winked and raced away at vampire speed so she wouldn't see the tears streaming down his face. Just before he exited the hospital his supernatural hearing allowed him to hear the long drawn out beep of Bonnie's heart monitor as she flat-lined.

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Hi guys that's it for the first chapter. I know its pretty short but I just wanted something to start off the story and put things in context. I have some ideas for the future of this story but i would love to hear some of your ideas in the comments and whether or not you guys think its even worth continuing. I hope you enjoyed what I've got so far and i look forward to updating soon if i get positive feedback :D


	2. Chapter 2

Damon's emotions were a tumultuous haze of confusion as he raced towards the Salvatore family mausoleum where Elena had been kept in her trance-like sleep. He was overwhelmed with feelings of excitement and joy at the knowledge that soon Elena would awaken and they could finally reunite after so many years apart. Simultaneously though, the grief of losing Bonnie was hovering like a dark cloud in the back of his mind. In the interest of focusing solely on Elena in this moment he pushed the dark feelings away and let happiness overtake him.

He opened the door of the mausoleum as quickly as he could and slipped inside silently. Rounding the corner he slowed as he approached the coffin he had vowed not to open for the last 65 years. He'd had to stay away to protect Elena from the countless vampires who would be a threat to her if they found out she was human and had the cure running through her veins. The cure: another thing that had been on Damon's mind constantly in his years without Elena. He was more than ready to give up his immortality for the chance at a human life with Elena.

His brother had thought he would have regrets as a human but Damon knew the truth now more than ever. Decades without her made him even more certain that there was no purpose to his immortal life if Elena wasn't a part of it.

Damon had spent the time since Elena had been cursed to sleep watching out for all the important people in her life. He knew that it was the next best thing to taking care of her personally since the well being of her friends and family was always Elena's first priority.

Damon had watched Jeremy graduate art school, and finally settle down to marry Bonnie. Although Jeremy had lived long enough to see her sister awaken, Damon knew that he wouldn't be able to recognize her.

Right after his 77th birthday Jeremy had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and had progressively declined in health since then. Bonnie had kept him comfortable at home as long as possible with Damon's help, but eventually the care he needed was too much for them to handle. She had decided to place him in an assisted living facility where she knew he would receive the best treatment available. Since his condition was so advanced, Bonnie had kept the extent of her illness a secret because she knew it would only upset him to hear how she was doing.

 _As usual, Bonnie making sacrifices for everyone but herself,_ Damon thought sadly.

Jeremy wasn't the only one that Bonnie had lied to about her cancer. Caroline and Stefan were living happily ever after on the West Coast with no knowledge that their friend had just passed away. Damon knew he would have to call them and deliver the shocking news soon, but he decided he would worry about that in a while once Elena had woken up.

Damon lifted the lid of the coffin up and just the sight of her took his breath away after all these years. Still asleep, hands folded over her chest, a look of serenity coating her exquisite features. Damon took her limp hand in his and sat down next to the casket to wait for her to awaken.

Several moments of silence had passed by when suddenly Elena shot up into a sitting position gasping as though she hadn't gotten a breath of air in ages.

Her startled eyes landed on him and a slightly disoriented smile ghosted across her lips.

"Damon?" she spoke slowly in a questioning tone.

Just the sound of her voice brought him almost more happiness than he could handle and he reached out towards her and practically dragged her into a searing kiss. As he pulled away he saw the look of horrified realization marring Elena's lovely face.

"If I'm awake, then that means that Bonnie…" she broke off with tears already filling her eyes and making their way down her soft cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Elena, I promise you that she lived a wonderful and fulfilling life and she had a completely human death as well" Damon said hugging her tightly.

"Damon what happened to her? And Jeremy? And are Caroline and Stefan alright?" Elena rushed out these questions desperately.

Damon hushed her gently and settled down to explain to her all that had happened in the last 65 years. When he told Elena that Jeremy was still alive, her joy was quickly replaced by sadness and concern when his condition was revealed to her.

"I want to see him, I just need to see him and make sure he's alright" Elena said firmly.

"Elena my love, I know how much you want to see him but his mind is so confused that seeing you now is only going to make him more upset and confused. You can go see him but make sure he is asleep so you don't scare him" Damon explained patiently.

She gave him a terse, pained nod of understanding and allowed him to carry on telling her about all the happy events her friends had experienced over the years. Their positive past experiences helped to mildly dull the pain of hearing about their current fates.

While Damon was speaking Elena studied the face of the vampire who she had fallen in love with. His strong jaw drew her attention to his full lips, which would pull apart in his signature smirk every time he spoke of the antics of their friends. Her gaze traveled all the way up to his tousled black hair, which was always in a state of perfect disarray, and then back down to rest on his shockingly ice blue eyes. She felt like those eyes could see every part of her, even the darkest parts that she had been too afraid to acknowledge. He loved her for who she was and she could see his love in every gentle caress, every smile, every laugh, and in each of the chaste loving kisses he kept sneaking in between his stories.

After several hours of story telling Damon realized they were still sitting inside the mausoleum.

"Elena do you wanna go back to the boarding house? I still have some of your clothes there and you can take a nice hot shower. I'll even make you something to eat" Damon asked with a smile.

"Yes please. I've been wearing the same outfit for over half a century and now that you mention it I am starving. Do you think you could make me some pancakes?" Elena replied lightly.

Damon smirked at her adorable request, "Elena you wake up after 65 years and the first thing you want is pancakes? Just one of the many reasons why I love you".

In reply, Elena gave a sheepish smile and Damon lifted her up into his arms and sped them away towards the boarding house.

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Okay guys theres chapter two for you. thanks for the few positive reviews I got yesterday and I hope this lived up to expectations. Once again please review and leave some ideas of what you would like to see in the future of this story. I'll take all the idea into consideration :)


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